How long have you been collecting vintage?
I grew up unknowingly collecting vintage. My mother has wonderful, eclectic taste and in addition to making a welcoming home full of her own vintage possessions, she was always putting aside things here and there for my future home. I inherited these things when I moved out and have been acquiring more lovely vintage things ever since.
What got you into collecting and selling vintage?
I like to have things around me that are infused with a sense of story; and this was instilled in me by my mum. I want the things around me to express my oddball personality, and I want them to last, so vintage is an obvious choice. By definition, vintage items are quality and last a long time. Most of the things you find in stores today are not as quirky or unique as vintage items. I got into selling vintage as a way to find homes for all the great things I find and bring home. I can't fit everything into my small living space without my "man Friday" Jeremy getting lost under mountains of mod dresses and old typewriters!
What are your favorite eras for vintage?
I love mod items from the sixties and mid-century modern (who doesn't?), but I am also partial to mishmash. Usually a specific item will speak to me more than considering if an item fits into a particular era or style. My living space is a mixture of beautiful wood furniture and kitsch from the sixties and seventies. I have a soft spot for early-20th century paper ephemera, children's books, photographs of stern-looking families, and house wife goodies from the 40s and 50s.
What do you look for when you shop for vintage?
An item really has to speak to me. If I am immediately compelled to touch an object and exclaim about it, then I'm off to a good start. I look for items that are well made. I like details--dovetailed corners on wooden things, an excellent hinge—and fine hand stitching. I don't necessarily aim for highly recognizable names and brands but strive more for good quality materials and workmanship, and of course personality counts.
When you buy for your shop are you influenced by your personal taste?
Yes! Most of the items in my shop are things I'm a little heartbroken to let go. Some of the items in my shop are not my style, but they are things that I enjoy and appreciate for their value. I'm a pretty genuine person so I couldn’t devote myself to anything if it didn't have some aspect of myself in it.
What would be your ultimate vintage find?
Oh gosh, this is basically an impossible question. I'm not sure I could know my ultimate find ahead of time, because the experience of being stunned when I see something I wasn't anticipating is what makes it such a good find. It might be a whole bolt of pristine fabric. Most likely it’s something I can’t yet imagine, but it’s probably Scandinavian, Marimekko-like, and at least forty years old, bright and floral.
What type of venues supply the majority of your vintage finds?
I am surrounded by an abundance of excellent vintage shopping--flea markets, consignment shops, auctions and garage sales. I also work off and on in a vintage shop, so I get first dibs on the amazing things that my boss finds.
Is vintage popular in the city/town where you live?
The town I live in currently has a small population of vintage lovers, mainly women looking for farmhouse kitchen wares. There's a lot of great stuff around, and a lot of secondhand shops, but most people are looking more for a bargain than for quality. It seems like the cheap, new plastic things get snapped up quickly while gorgeous old metal and wood pieces can sit for ages. I feel a responsibility to rescue the vintage items.
What do you find most challenging and most rewarding about running your vintage business?
It is very much my purpose to get really great things into homes where they'll be appreciated, so just mailing things out to people who I know want them is the most rewarding aspect of the business. My biggest challenge, honestly, is parting with the things I sell. There's always that twinge of wanting to keep things for myself. The challenge is keeping myself organized, having a good system to remember what I have yet to do—photography, writing descriptions, etc. Shopping for new vintage things is always more fun than the doing business paperwork and photo-editing, so it can be a challenge to keep on top of the practicalities. It is quite rewarding to view my cute shop on Etsy whenever I’m online.
What kind of things are in your personal vintage collections?
Wood furniture, well made but often a little kitsch, like my new "bar" cupboard from the early 70s. It has a copper trough in the top for ice; which I've planted with flowers. Most of my personal kitchen items are vintage--baking supplies, dishware and small appliances. I'm not as much of a collector as someone who has mostly vintage things in their home. My dry goods are stored in huge 1930s-40s glass jars. I keep my sewing supplies in old wooden organizers and chests. I prefer records to CDs, and I wear vintage clothing. My 1970s sofas are brightly upholstered because that’s part of my personality and what I like.
Where can we find your goods and connect with you online?
My Etsy shop, The Haps. Most of the time I’m nosing around in the back corner of a flea market, but I do like to stop in and chat via the Etsy conversation feature throughout the day, so feel free to drop me a note.
Images in this post © The Haps, 2012.
The town I live in currently has a small population of vintage lovers, mainly women looking for farmhouse kitchen wares. There's a lot of great stuff around, and a lot of secondhand shops, but most people are looking more for a bargain than for quality. It seems like the cheap, new plastic things get snapped up quickly while gorgeous old metal and wood pieces can sit for ages. I feel a responsibility to rescue the vintage items.
What do you find most challenging and most rewarding about running your vintage business?
It is very much my purpose to get really great things into homes where they'll be appreciated, so just mailing things out to people who I know want them is the most rewarding aspect of the business. My biggest challenge, honestly, is parting with the things I sell. There's always that twinge of wanting to keep things for myself. The challenge is keeping myself organized, having a good system to remember what I have yet to do—photography, writing descriptions, etc. Shopping for new vintage things is always more fun than the doing business paperwork and photo-editing, so it can be a challenge to keep on top of the practicalities. It is quite rewarding to view my cute shop on Etsy whenever I’m online.
What kind of things are in your personal vintage collections?
Wood furniture, well made but often a little kitsch, like my new "bar" cupboard from the early 70s. It has a copper trough in the top for ice; which I've planted with flowers. Most of my personal kitchen items are vintage--baking supplies, dishware and small appliances. I'm not as much of a collector as someone who has mostly vintage things in their home. My dry goods are stored in huge 1930s-40s glass jars. I keep my sewing supplies in old wooden organizers and chests. I prefer records to CDs, and I wear vintage clothing. My 1970s sofas are brightly upholstered because that’s part of my personality and what I like.
Where can we find your goods and connect with you online?
My Etsy shop, The Haps. Most of the time I’m nosing around in the back corner of a flea market, but I do like to stop in and chat via the Etsy conversation feature throughout the day, so feel free to drop me a note.
Images in this post © The Haps, 2012.
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